Sorry I missed this morning's post. I certainly wasn't "sleeping in." Just had a thousand and one things to do today.

Our new dishwasher was installed today (hooray --no more dish pan hands!). I thought our old one (a GE) was quiet (even friends used to so remark) but this one is even quieter by half! It's a Bosch Mdl. SHE4302UC with a stainless steel tub that retails at Lowe's for around 590 dollars (its as high as $699 at some stores on the web). Because of Labor Day sales, free delivery and installation and no Tennessee sales tax when a unit is installed by the retailer (which is 9.75% here because there is no state income tax) got the whole shebang for 520 bucks complete. It's of European design although its made here in the States and if any one out there chooses to purchase a Bosch dishwasher, make sure YOU READ THE MANUAL because it is far different in certain aspects than the American machines to which most of us are accustomed. If you have it professionally installed, it's imperative that your installer is familiar with the machine as well (I requested a specific installer -- one of the benefits of living in a small town). For those of you for whom such things mean something (they do for me), Consumer Reports rates the machine a Best Buy. The only real down side is a regular wash takes 125 minutes (because very energy efficient machines for some reason take longer). It does have a fast cycle however (35 minutes). It is certainly a marvel of engineering.

Hope we get some rain from Hannah but it doesn't look as if that's going to happen. Sure hope either Ike changes track or else winds way down if it continues on toware SE Florida.

Will definitely try to add a morning post (gosh, that sounds as if I'm mailing a letter in Great Britain) in the AM.

Todd,, congrats on your new acquisition! There are few things that annoy me more than pulling dirty dishes out of a dishwasher that has just run through it's cycle. I have heard great things about Bosch.

Here are some thoughts I have been pondering today after a wonderful week with people I care about...
We have lived in our home for the past 10 years and have always known that aside from one household of soreheads, we are blessed with exceptional neighbors, who are just lovely people. We live on a dead end lane that is .25 miles long in the country with 8 families who live here. If any of us needed anything, that need would be met in short order with a smile and a hug. Everyone is wonderful and I count my blessings. Every X-mas, Halloween, and easter they do something for our kids. I have an old 87 Ford F250 (a/k/a The Screamin Cha Cha)that I rarely get around to driving, and it is a fine truck, but I can't seem to part with it, because I know no one would ever give me what it's worth (to me). So my neighbor's 1988 F150 pooped out a couple of weeks ago, and so I told him to feel free to use mine and gave him his own set of keys to the truck. Well he comes over and gets it, fills up both tanks, then today I am walking past his house and he is changing the oil. Now I was trying to help him out but somehow, I think I got the best end of the stick.

Got a call from another neighbor who was having computer trouble earlier in the week. So went over and helped her get her hard drive backed up so she doesn't lose any special photo's or documents and volunteered (he say "voluntold") d/h to fix the problem for her. Well the verdict was their puter needed to be blown up, they needed a new wireless router and a few other accoutrements to remedy their issues. Well I had a great time yesterday, d/h and I all went with the neighbor to Indianapolis to shop for puter stuff and ended up having a great time. Today we went over and installed everything and they're whole family is ecstatic. Since having wifi and and a couple of extra computer systems has once more restored familial harmony. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my day with them and once again feel I came out smelling like a rose on the deal, and d/h enjoyed himself too.
We live in such a strange contentious world these days, it really makes me appreciate my extended family known as my neighbors.

It was one of the hottest days of the entire summer today. There was quite a strong breeze - gusts, actually.

I made a huge pot of sauce for spaghetti for my friend. It had sweet Italian and Hot Italian sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, zucchini, and tomatoes added to a couple of jars of sauce - I hand grate the fresh parmesan to top it off. Paired with a fresh garden salad, and some toasty garlic bread...it was a huge meal for a hot night. But in India he really never gets anything other than Indian food so we are trying to hit all his favorites while he is here.

My doggie had enlarged lymph nodes, the vet said I need to get his teeth cleaned and he thinks that will take care of it...I have no idea if this is true or not, but we have scheduled for the Monday after I return from the cruise. It is hot today and he is really panting again. I will turn the fan on so he can sleep with a nice cool breeze.

I'm still relatively new in this neighborhood but I love the neighbors more and more each day and, as today has amply demonstrated, you are certainly one of the neighborhood's treasures. What with Trip writing about you earlier and the way we all are aware of how you selflessly devote your life to the welfare of others, I honestly say that you are indeed a role model for a huge section of the population of the United States.

BeenieWeenie,

We live in a neighborhood so like your own. I have always enjoyed helping others in some small way or another simply because I get a kick out of it as I am sure a whole lot of other people do as well. I have not, however, been very good at accepting similar assistance in return until someone explained to me, "You know Todd, have you ever looked at it as someone else getting enjoyment about helping you out in your time of need?" Being the dunce that I am, I never thought of it that way. Then when Fran was critically ill in ICU this past May, I came home exhausted one afternoon to find not one, not two but three of my neighbors mowing MY full acre lawn. I'm not too proud to say that the tears rolled down both cheeks.

We had the same weather today Jen, hot as blazes! But those sudden gusts of wind were strange! I was sitting outside under the trees when all of a sudden leaves, seeds, pollen, bits and pieces were flying!
Amazingly hot and humid weather for Sept.!

We are awaiting the late weather reports regarding the storms about to hit the west coast. We're thinking of flying to Nova Scotia tomorrow, but don't want to be stuck there in a heavy rainstorm, so we'll wait and see what's up.
Don't want a repeat of New Years when I was stuck there 7 days because of snowstorms!

neighbors are great...since we have no power, we have a big cook out in the middle of the street and everybody contributes something and we do our post hurricane distress stories and just be thankful that we could return to our homes in one piece